Rollable window screen



May 16, 1944. H. w. THOMAS ROLLABLE wnmow SCREEN Filed March 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR; J mmy l0. 4571011145 May 16, 1944.

H. w. THOMAS ROLLABLE WINDOW SCREEN Filed March 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m'ExToR. fl y l0; jl womas W m/ ATTORNEY.

Patented May 1 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLLABLE WINDOW SCREEN Harry W. Thomas, Miami Beach, Fla.

Application March 16, 1940, Serial No. 324,395

Claims. (or. 160 -213) This invention relates to window screens formed of reticular material composed primarily of single filament strands of thermo-setting or thermo-plastic synthetic-resins and, more speciflcally, the present invention relates to open mesh flexible and elastic screen cloth composed of permanently crimped nylon warp and weft strands, the perimeter of which screencloth is bound and fixed in desired permanent position by 'novel binding means associated with and peculiarly adapted to the novel screen structure, such novel binding means being sufficiently flexible and rollable to permit the winding or rolling of the screen, particularly when it is used as a rolling window screen. The actual "screen structure itself is more particularly described in my above-mentioned copending application, Serial No. 265,114, filed March 31, 1939, and also in my copending application for Screen material and method of making same, Serial No. 324,393, filed simultaneously herewith.

Various types of binding means and various methods of afl'lxing the various binding means are more specifically described in my copending application for Screen frames, Serial No'. 324,394, filed simultaneously herewith, now Patent No. 2,297,729, issued October 6, 1942.

The novel screen material which is to be bound and arranged as a'rollable window screen in accordance with the present invention is formed in accordance with the three applications above mentioned and comprises essentially an open mesh reticular s'creen structure made from thermo-setting 'or thermo-plastic, non-metallic,

non-vegetable, non-animal fibers or strands,

preferably single filament strands for reasons set forth in the above-mentioned applications.

The material of which these strands are made is moisture-resistant, not afiected by common acids or alkalis, non-oxidizable, weather resistant, and may be opaque, translucent, transparent or may be colored in any desired manner. The strands thereof may be composed wholly of synthetic polymerization products including vinyl resins, nylon, Vynyon, aldehyde condensation products, cellulose derivatives, Alsifilm and other similar thermo-plastic or thermosetting synthetic materials.

. original position and the strands returned to their predetermined meshing relation.

Where the screen is to be placed in use for the specialized purpose of constituting a rolling window screen for dust and insect excluding purposes, it becomes important that a means be utilized for preventing the unravelling of the screen material while at the same time preserving the resilient construction thereof.

In my said application for Screen frames, Serial No. 324,394, filed simultaneously herewith, I have disclosed a number of diflerent ways in which such a frame may be mounted upon the screen while at the same time retaining all of the resilient, flexible, rollable, elastic qualities thereof. Such frames as disclosed in the said copending application may be made of rubber either cementitiously applied to the perimeter of the screen or vulcanized thereon either after the formation of the screen or during the thermal setting of the resilient or crimped construction of the screen material or said frame may consist of any other plastic or moldable material which may be applied either cementitiously or by preiorming upon the edges of the screen, the binding thus formed being, nevertheless, rollable and flexible with the screen and preferably being at least as resilient and elastic as the screen itself so as not to interfere with the resilient, flexible, rollable and elastic qualities of the screen.

Heretofore in the construction of rolling win- I dow screens, it has been necessary to utilize vari- In the manufacture of the screens, the said ous types of woven metal screens which, for purposes of flexibility were bound at the edges, when' they were bound at all, with flexible metal bands. These flexible metal bands at best were scarcely as flexible or resilient as even the best of the screen material and was neither elastic nor readily rollable with the screen so that after the screen had remained rolled for any period of time, the binding might acquire a semi-permanent set which would bind the screen when drawn in its guides.

The material of which prior rolling window screen had previously been made was usually also metallic wire mesh which readily acquired a permanent set when rolled up so as also to assist in binding the screen within its guides when it is drawn, and likewise after the screen had been lowered for a period of time, the rolling up of the screen was made exceedingly diflicult by reason of the fact that the screen, having acquired a semi-permanent linear set resisted any rolling. I

By the use of nylon or .other materials crimped and formed in the manner hereinafter described and in the manner described in my copending applications above mentioned, it is possible to obtain a resilient, elastic, readily. rollable and unrollable, flexible screen material which will not acquire a permanent set, whatever the position in which it may remain for any period of time.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide in connection with a rollable window screen, a screen mesh and cloth made of crimped single filament strands of a, synthetic resin, such as nylon or arw other similar synthetic flexible, elastic, organic or inorganic, non-metallic material.

In my said application for screen frames, Serial No. 324,394, filed simultaneously herewith, above mentioned, I have described various types of bindings which do not interfere with the flexibility-and rollability of the screen and for the purposes of forming a rollable window screen I have found that the application, particularly to the longitudinal edges of the screen which are to ride within guides, of a flexible elastic binding which is at least as resilient, rollable, and flexible as the screen material above described, facilitates the operation of the screen, protects the screen itself, furnishes additional weather-proofing at the perimeter of the screen and generally enhances the value of the screen.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide in connection with a rollable window screen of the type described, a flexible resilient longitudinal binding strip which will not interfere in any way with the rollability of the screen.

The particular windable flexible strips used for this purpose may be guided in any suitable manner, but it is an object of this invention to so form the binding tapes or strips that they will inherently provide cooperating means for' co acting with the guides in the window frame.

It is further an object of this invention to provide means in connection with the binding tapes or strips which will cooperate with elements on either-the window guide or the window frame for securing the rollable screen in predetermined fixed position. a

The fact that by the use of the specific scree material herein described a transparent or translucent screen may be made or a screen may be made having any desired color or tint, adds to the utility of a rollable window screen made with this material.

A rollable window screen of the type of my invention may also be utilized in connection with a sliding window sash and may be attached thereto in any suitable manner.

Many other objects and uses of this invenout in the following description and drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of screen material formed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary edge view in perspective of a screen of the type of Figure 1 combined with a flexible binding means suitable for cooperation with window guides;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 3 showing a modified form of cooperating element for cooperating with window guides;

Figure 5 is a partial view in perspective showing a rollable window screen mounted in a window;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figures '7 and 8 are fragmentary views in perspective showing various forms of fastening means which may be incorporated with the rollablebinding tape;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective showing one form of edge binding of the rollable tion will in part be apparent and in part pointed Window screen;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective showing the use of the rollable window screen of my invention in connection with a sliding window sash.

Referring now to. Figures 1 and 2, I have here shown a flexible, rollable, resilient screen material made in accordance with-my patent applications Serial No. 265,114' filed March 31, 1939, and my application for Screen material and method of making same, Serial No. 324,393, filed simultaneously herewith.

The screen material, as therein pointed out, may be made of any thermo-plastic or thermosetting or otherwise thermally sensitive synthetic resin or any other synthetic non-metallic, inorganic or organic, elastic and flexible material. The material may be transparent. It may be translucent, opaque or it mayv be colored in any suitable manner to conform with any decorative scheme into which it may be incorporated.

Preferably in order to obtain the full benefits of the inherent resilience of the substance, such as nylon which is used for this purpose, the screen material is woven from single filament rods or strands of sufilcient thickness to form individual warp or weft strands of the screen and also of suflicient thickness to retain all of the resilient and structural characteristics of the nylon material itself.

The single filament strands are preferred for this reason and as opposed to multi-fllament strands where the material may be woven from a series of very thin flexible strands woven and twisted together. Such multi-filament strands possess too much flexibility and an uneven distribution of elasticity for screening purposes of the type herein described.

The single filament strands after having been woven into approximately the form shown in Figure 1 are then subjected to heat treatment in accordance with the processes set forth in my applications above-mentioned, said heat treatment setting the intersecting strands in crimped formation as shown in Figure 3.

Thus after th screen l0 (Figure 1) iswoven so that the warp strands H and the weft strands I2 intersect and are interwoven with each other, the material is then subjected to heat which imparts a permanent set to the interwoven strands as shown in Figure 2. Thus each strand is crimped by the heat treatment about the intersecting strands so that a series of obtuse crimps l3, l3 are formed in the strands.

Owing to the fact that the nylon or other material used is resilient and elastic, the strands may, under the influence of tension of sufficient force, be restored to their original uncrimpedposition or upon relaxation of such tension, the strands will return to their original crimped position shown in Figure 2, and owing to the fact that complementary cri'mps in intersecting strands naturally seek to return to trough relation with each other, the strands are returned after the relaxation of the distorting and deforming force to their original mesh defining relationship in the manner described in my abovementioned applications.

The screens thus formed may becombined or formed in the manner described in my said application for Screen frames, Serial No. 324,394, filed simultaneously herewith. v

Thus a rubber or plastic flexible, resilient and/or longitudinally extensible or elastic binding strip may be combined along each of the edges of the finished screen inspecial sizes to be desired. Such binding strip where it is rubber may be vulcanized in place by the same heat process which sets the crimps in the screen material.

For rolling window screen purposes, such as that shown in Figure 5, it is-essential that the binding strip or tape be of sufiicient structural strength to cooperate with the guiding structure on the window jambs and to resist the wear and tear inherent in continuous operation and further to resist weathering conditions to which it isobviously to be subjected.

As shown in Figure 5, a rollable window screen may in accordance with my invention be mounted on a rotatable shaft 2| which may, in turn, be removably or fixedly mounted in the screen roller box 22 which may be fastened above the window frame or which may form the top lintel of the window frame. The shaft or roller 2! may be driven. in any suitable manner for raising and/or lowering the screen 20. Thus it may be spring actuated toward raising position with suitable means provided on the screen for resisting the tension of the roller which tends to roll it up or it may be spring actuated and provided with appropriate ratchets and pawls for resisting the tension of the spring until a predetermined operation is performed or it may be spring actuated toward rolling position with the spring exerting suificient tension to roll up the roller 2i with the spring thereon but not exerting sufiicient tension to overcome the friction between the binding tapes or frame. and the guide so that the raising of the bottom of the screen manually which thereby overcomes the force of such friction will permit the winding up of the roller and hence of the screen. Or the screen roller may be driven in any other suitable manner now known in the window screen. roller material of any sultabie nature, which, however,

should be at least as flexible and resilient as the screen 2|] itself.

The bottom free end of the screen be finished off in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by the stiffening strip providedwith. the handle or manual grasping portion 5|; the stiffening strip 24 ensuring that the screen and bound edges 23 thereof will register in the guides 25 which maybe flanged as at 26 and secured by any suitable fastening means, as by the screws 21, to the jamb or stud 28 (see also Figure 6).

hescreen'fll of Figure 5 may be brought down to any desired position within the window opening and may register either with the entire window opening or may be brought into registry only with a vented portion of the window opening or such portion thereof as may be vented.

The rollable window screen need not necessarily be mounted in the manner shown in Figure 5.

It may be mounted so that the rollers are at the bottom of the window and the screen may be lifted up or so that the roller is at the side of the window and the screen drawn across.

Or it may be mounted in any other suitable manner in connection with not merely a window opening but with any other portion of the complete structure as, for instance, a porch in connection with which a screen is useful or desirable.

One form which the guide 25 may take is shown in Figure 6, wherein it is seen that the guide consists preferably of a metallic channel shaped member 25 having flanges 26 which may be secured by screws or-any other suitable means 21 to the jamb or stud 28. The guiding portions of the members 28 may. constitute preferably two parallel metallic members 30 which may have inturned flanges 3|. 'Where the screen 20 itself has suflicient inherent lateral stiffness to ensure that the flexible binding strip 23 will at all times register with the walls 30-30 of the guide 25, then the lnturned flange portions 3 l-3| on the walls may be needed. Where the screen may, however, itself be resilient or where it is desired to use as much as possible of the full window opening so that the guide 25 is to be small and so that the guide 25 will not reach too far into the window opening, then the inturned flanges 3l-3l .on the walls 30-30 of the guide 25 may be provided to prevent the escape of the binding of the screen.

Suitable cooperating members may be provided on the binding 23 of the screen in order to cooperate with the inturned flanges 3 l3l and hence prevent escape of the bound edges of the screen from the guides.

When the binding strip is to consist of rubber or any other moldable material or any synthetic moldable material of any kind whatsoever which may be secured to the screen in any suitable manner as, for instance, in the manner described in my application for Screen frames, Serial No. 324,394 filed simultaneously herewith, then.the cooperating elements 40 on the binding 23 may be molded integrally therewith as is seen in Figure 3.

The said cooperating elements 40 may then cooperate with the inturned flanges 3| of the Walls Of the screen guide 25 to prevent escape of the bound edge 23 of the screen from theguide.

Where in a suitable case it may not be convenient to make the cooperating elements 40 integral with the material of the binding tape or edge 23, then any sui table cooperating element 20 may may be attached to the bound edge as is seen in Figure 4.

In Figure 4 the screen has a longitudinally flexible, preferably resilient, binding 23 carrying slides 4|, 4|, 42, 42 secured thereto in any suitable manner, the slides 4| and 42 cooperating, as is seen specifically in Figure 6, with the walls 30, 30 of the guide and particularly with the inturned flanges 3|, 3| of the walls to prevent escape of the bound edge 23 from the guides. The slides 4|, 42 may, as is seen in Figures 4 and 6, be formed from an integral band 43 of any suitable material, preferably a metallic material which is bent as is seen in Figures 4 and 6 so that the slides 4|, 42 will lie opposed to each other and on opposite sides of the tape 23. The U-shaped band 43 may be secured to the flexible longitudinal binding strip 23 in any suitable manner as, for instance, by integral lugs 44 struck up from the material of the metal 43 and forced into the material of the binding 23.

Where any cooperating elements of the type of element of Figure 3 or of the type. of elements 4|, 42 of Figure 4 are used, it is essential that these elements be sufficiently narrow in a longitudinal direction with respect to the binding 23 as not to interfere with the rollability thereof and, furthermore, the cooperating elements, as is seen, for instance, in Figure 6, should extend outwardly from the sides of the bound edge 23 ,only a sufficient distance to cooperate with the retaining portions of the guide 25 and any greater projection from the sides of the tape 23 should be avoided so as not to. interfere with the rollability of the screen material itself.

In a suitable case the binding 23 maybe of sufficient thickness or strength or the guide may be made in such a manner as to cooperate with the inner edges 50, 50, Figure 6, of the binding strip 23 for the purpose of preventing the binding strip 23 from being disengaged with the guide itself.

While I have here shown two generic forms of cooperating elements for the binding strip in connection with the guide, it will, of course, be clear that the binding strip may otherwise be formed in any suitable manner to cooperate with a guide. Thus, for instance, in a suitable case, the binding strip may be longitudinally grooved to cooperate with reentrant portions of the guide, or the binding strip may carry a continuous bead for such purposes or it may carry any other cooperating element which will not interfere with the rollability of the binding strip itself.

Where in a suitable case it is desirable or necessary to secure the screen at any particular partially raised or completely lowered position, various cooperating means may be provided in connection with the binding strip 23 of the screen. Thus, as is seen in Figure 7, the binding strip 23 of the screen 20 may be grommeted as at 60 at suitable spaced intervals, each of the grommets being provided with spring type fasteners SI for the purpose of cooperating with a balled stud 62. When the balled stud 62 is forced into the grommet, then the spring fastening member 5| resiliently engages the neck portion thereof to prevent longitudinal movement of the binding strip 23 while only resiliently resisting withdrawalof the stud.

For suitable purposes the stud 62 may be stationarily mounted upon the-jamb or a side frame through when desired. Or the stud may be removably mounted in the guide 25 of the structure of Fi ure 5-or it may be spring held in registry with an opening in the guide 25 of the structure of Figure 5, the spring preventing the stud 62 from entering within the guide.

When the screen has then been drawn down to the desired position, then pressure upon the-end of the stud 62 will, when the next grommet 33' comes into position below it, force the stud 42 into the grommet andinto engagement with the spring member 6| which should exert suflicient force to hold the stud against withdrawal by its own spring until it is manually withdrawn, thus holding the screen in predetermined partially raised or completely lowered position.

For this purpose also the stud 62 need not necessarily be resiliently held by a spring of its own but may be a fairly tight frictional fit within an opening of the guide or it may even be completely removable and manually replaceable within the opening of the guide.

Other types of fastening means may be used as the particular purpose requires. Thus as seen in Figure 8 a series of oblong bound openings I. may be made'in the binding tape 23 with which a series of turn-studs Il may register. The tumstuds are of such dimensions that when the edges thereof are longitudinally co-extensive with the opening I0, they may readily pass through the opening 10, while when turned at right angles thereto after having been passed therethrough, they will engage the material of the binding tape on either side of the opening 10 and thus serve to hold the screen in any desired partially raised or completely lowered position. The stud ll may, of course, be mounted upon any suitable stationary portion of the window frame or building structure with which the binding means 23 cooperates.

Other types of fastening means for fixing the screen in any suitable partially raised or completely lowered position may be utilized as the circumstances require.

of the window or other member with which the By the use of the novel screening material described in my aforementioned applications, I have been able to provide a rollable window screen which is weather-resistant and resistant to alkalis and acids, even to a'greater extent than is any metal material which heretofore has been used for rollable window screens. Since the nylon material which is preferred for this purpose has a tensile strength of 51,000 pounds per square inch, this material may well form a stronger screen than any ordinary metallic screens now on the market.

Furthermore, owing to the resilient mesh-defining construction and the construction of the strands and the crimping thereof for the purpose of ensuring a return of a temporarily deformed strand to its original mesh-defining relationship, the screen will have a permanence and utility not heretofore found in any metallic screen.

Furthermore, owing to the flexibility, resilience and elasticity of the preferred nylon material which is used in connection with this rollable window screen, the rollable window screen will not acquire any permanent set either in a linear condition owing to a long period of having been kept in lowered position (which would interfere with the rollability of the screen and any attempt to raise it) or in a curved condition owing to its having been kept for long period in rolled no condition (which would interfere with the appearance of the screen when lowered and the slidability of the binding of the screen.

Owing to the fact that the screen may be made transparent or translucent, it need not interfere in any way with the transmissibility of light through the window and hence need not be raised or lowered as frequently-as ordinary window screens.

Owing to the fact that'the material may readily be permanently colored in any suitable manner, the screen may be made to harmonize with either the exterior trim of the building or the interior decoration thereof.

The flexible binding strip 23, preferably of non-metallic material and preferably made of a longitudinally elastic and resilient material which is at least as flexible and rollable as the screen material itself, does not detract from the bendability and rollability of the screen and does not in any way interfere with the operation thereof.

Where desired, the edge of the rollablewinciow screen may be so treated as to cause it to resist lateral tension exerted by the screen tending to pull the edge out of the guide, while at the same time preserving the bendability or rollability of the screen and of the edge thereof.

Thus, as seen in Figure 9, I have shown a complementary portion of a rollable window screen comprising the screening material 20 which in normal operation in the window frame may be subjected to lateral tensionin the direction shown by the arrows 83. This rollable window screen has abinding 80 secured thereto in the manner described in my said copending application for Screen frames, Serial No. 324,394, filed simultaneously herewith.

This binding 80 may have openings 82 therein in which grommets of the type 60 of .Figure '7 may be inserted in order to aid in securing or which may be used for securing purposes in the condition in which they appear in Figure 9.

These openings 82, when the screen 20 is subjected to the lateral tension indicated by the arrows 83, are subjected to a tension at their edges in a direction indicated by the arrows B4 and accordingly the binding means 80 should be of sufficient strength to resist this tension.

However, the space between the arrows 84 is not necessarily subjected to counterbalancing tension and hence since the material 80 is preferably elastic and flexible, this material may yield to the tension indicated by the arrows 83 and may thus be pulled out of the guides or, at the very least, unsightly gaps may occur.

In order to provide lateral stability which will prevent this result while at the same time retaining the flexibility of the binding of the screen I have provided for the insertion within the binding 80 at the edge thereof of a flexible metal strip 8| which may be placed in the rolling position but which will be rigid with respect to transverse forces and thus will serve to maintain the lateral stability of the binding without interfering with the rollability of the screen. Since the metal strip 8| by reason of its crosssection will not yield when tensioning forces are produced thereon in the direction indicated by the arrows 83, unsightly gaps or the possibility of escape of the screen from its guides are obviated.

In Figure 10 I have shown the combination of the rollable window screen of my invention with a window which may, if desired, be a storm window, the window and screen being connected so that the raising or lowering of the window sash will result in the bringing of the screen 20 into or out of the window opening.

Both the screen 20 and the window sash may operate in suitable guides'in the jamb 93 of the window frame. The sash 90 and the screen 20 may be interconnected in any suitable manner. Thus, for instance, as seen in Figure.

10, the top of the window sash may carry a rigid bar Bl' having a channel or suitable groove therein and the bar of the screen 20 may carry a similar bar 92 formed and arranged to interengage with the bar 9i. These cooperating bars 9| and 92 may be of metal or plastic material or of any other suitable material.

These bars 9| and 92 may easily be disengaged to permit separate operation of the sash or the screen. I

While the manner of engagement between the bars 9! and 92 shown in Figure 10 is preferred, any other suitable readily releasable engagement means may be utilized for this purpose.

I have here described but 'a few of the uses of my rollable window screen and only the preferred forms of construction in which the same may be embodied. Many other uses of the rollable window screen or of the rollable sheet 'hereinabove set forth will now be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Many other types of bindings falling within this invention will' now be obvious from the foregoing description and many other types of screen materials and the combination therewith of bindings of various types which will not interfere with rollability will also be obvious and many other uses of such rollable screens will also be clear to those skilled in the art. I prefer therefore to belimited not by the specific disclosures hereinabove set forth but only by the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. A rollable window screen comprising single filament resilient warp and weft strands of a synthetic resinous material; intersecting strands being complementarily crimped into resilient mesh-defining relationship, and a longitudinal flexible non-metallic binding for said screen, said binding being rollable with the screen, one end of said screen being secured to a roller, and rollable on said roller, said roller being mounted in a window frame, guides in said window frame,

and means on said longitudinal binding for slidably engaging the edges of said screen with said guides, said last mentioned means comprising mounting elements secured to said longitudinal binding means and carrying the slidableengaging means.

2. A rollable window screen comprising single filament resilient warp and weft strands of a synthetic resinous material; intersecting strands being complementarily crimped into resilient mesh-defining relationship, and a longitudinal flexible, non-metallic binding for said screen, said binding being rollable with the screen, one end of said screen being secured to a roller, and rollable on said roller, said roller being mounted in a window frame, guides in said window frame, and means on said longitudinal binding for slidably engaging the edges of said screen with said guides, and additional locking means on said binding for releasably securing said screen in selected position.

3. A rollable window screen comprising single filament resilient warp and weft strands of a synthetic resinous material; intersecting strands being complementarily crimped into resilient mesh-defining relationship, and a longitudinal flexible non-metallic binding for said screen, said binding being rollable with the screen, one end of said screen being secured to a roller and rollable on said roller, said roller being mounted in a window frame, guides in said window frame, and means on said longitudinal binding for slidably engaging the edges of said screen with said guides, said last mentioned means comprising spaced cooperating elements integrally formed from the binding and extending out of the plane thereof.

4. A rollable window screen comprising single filament resilient warp and weftstrands of a synthetic resinous material; intersecting strands being complementarily crimped into resilient mesh-defining relationship, and a longitudinal flexible non-metallic binding for said screen, said binding being rollable with the screen, one end of said screen being secured to a roller and rollable on said roller, said roller being mounted in a window frame, guides in said window frame,

and means on said longitudinal binding for slidably eng i the edges of said screenwlth said guides, said last mentioned means comprising spaced metallic clips secured over the binding and having cooperating elements extending therefrom out of the plane of the binding.

5. A rollable window screen comprising single filament resilient warp and weft strands of a synthetic resinous material; intersecting strands being compiementarily crimped into resilient mesh-defining relationship, and a longitudinal flexible non-metallic binding for said screen,

said binding being rollable with the screen, oneend of said screen being secured to a roller,-and rollable on said roller, said roller being mounted in a window frame, guides in said window frame, and means on said longitudinal binding for slidably eng ging the edges of said screen with said guides, said last mentioned means comprising spaced cooperating elements secured to and extending from the binding out of the plane thereof.

HARRY W. THOMAS. 

